ÉIREANN - A TASTE OF IRELAND CAST AND CREATIVES BIOS

CREATIVES BRENT PACE, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Director/Creator/Principal ​

Gaelforce Dance - Lead Principal Rhythms of Ireland - Lead Principal 6th Place World Championship 2011 3 x World Medal Holder 6 x Australian National Champion 12 x Regional Champion Featured Character on AB3’s Dancing Down Under Former President Commission Region TCRG Qualified Irish Dance Instructor Creator - A Taste of Ireland Principal - A Taste of Ireland 2012-present Creator - A Celtic Christmas Founder - Pace Entertainment Group Co-Founder - Pace Live Dance Company

Brent Pace has been an Irish dancer for over 20 years. He is the son of one of Australia’s most prominent Irish dance teachers and has trained alongside the very best in London, Australia Dublin & the United States. His competitive dance career has taken him to achieve such feats as becoming a World Medallist, 6 Time National Champion and getting top placings at every major Irish dance competition in the World.

Brent joined the show “The Rhythms of Ireland” in 2009 and by the beginning of 2011 he was the youngest Lead Dancer in the history of the company. He was then asked to perform the Principal role in the show’s first ever European tour. Since then, Brent has gone on to perform globally and joined Gaelforce Dance as the Principal Dancer in 2014, touring stadiums and theatres across the world. In 2017 Brent was honoured to be voted as one of the Presidents of the Irish dancing commission in the Queensland region, making him the youngest ever President in the history of Irish dancing.

Brent is one of the featured characters in ABC3’s “Dancing Down Under” Documentary. Filmed over 2011 and screened in Ireland, Australia and Europe in 2012, the program follows Brent’s competitive Irish dance journey culminating in the 2011 World Championships.

CEILI MOORE, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Co-Director/Principal ​

Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance - Lead Principal - The Show - Dancer Heartbeat of Home - Dancer Footstorm - Dancer World Champion 2014 All Ireland Champion 2013 4 x World Medal Holder 2 x North American National Champion 4 x Australian National Champion 4 x NSW Regional Champion Featured Character on AB3’s Dancing Down Under TCRG Qualified Irish Dance Instructor Principal - A Taste of Ireland 2017-present Co-Director - A Taste of Ireland Co-Founder - Pace Live Dance Company

Ceili Moore began dancing at the age of three under the guidance of Geraldine French, Fiona-Gaye Moore and Bernadette Langshaw-Clarke. She has studied a variety of dance styles alongside music and drama at Langshaw Dancity, Newtown Performing Arts and Ettingshausens.

During her teenage years, Ceili broadened her skills and knowledge completing ISTD and RAD examinations and gaining experience in the professional field. She featured in TV series, films, live performances and editorials with her highlights including appearances in The Wiggles, Candyman, Johnson & Johnson, recording her first single, and starring in ABC3’s Dancing Down Under. At the age of 15, she turned her focus to competitive Irish Dance.

Competing under both Scoil Rince Aisling and Fiona Gaye Moore Academy, Ceili won 4 NSW State and Australian Championship titles, and placed in the top 5 on the international stage on multiple occasions. During 2013 and 2014, Ceili hit the pinnacle of her career when she was crowned North American National, All Ireland, and World Champion. She is now a qualified TCRG. Since 2013, Ceili has performed in shows such as Riverdance and Lord of the Dance across over 15 different countries. Her highlights consist of performing the lead role of Morrighan alongside , performing on the Westend, and appearing on The Graham Norton Show and Good Morning America.

In 2017, Ceili moved into the role of Lead Dancer & Dance Director with A Taste of Ireland. She now works extensively with Pace Entertainment Group, having also co-founded Pace Live Dance Company.

JACK KEARNEY, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Co-Producer/Vocalist/Dancer ​ ​

World Champion Dance Drama 2017 10th Place World Championship 2017 Australian International Champion 2016 6 x NSW Regional Champion Runner-Up Australian National Championship 2016 National Ceili Champion 2011 Runner-Up All Scotland Championship 2017 Vocalist - A Taste of Ireland 2015-present Dance Captain - A Taste of Ireland 2017-18 Co-Producer - A Taste of Irish Christmas 2018 Producer - Pace Live Dance Company 2019 Producer - Silver Bells - A Bublé Christmas 2019 ​

Jack Kearney is a Sydney based producer and performer. He was introduced to the performing arts at a young age, attending acting and performance classes at Sydney based theatre company ATYP. Throughout his youth, Jack received classical training as a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, performing with big bands and choirs across Australia.

He first began dancing under the guidance of Jan Currie-Henderson. Under her tutelage, Jack has won six New South Wales regional titles and a host of Australian National Ceili titles. Abroad, he has trained with the Carson-Kennedy Academy in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Here, Jack was a part of the dance drama team that won the World Championship in 2017. He has competed at several major competitions across the globe, finishing on the podium at the All Scotland and All Ireland Championships and placing in the top 10 in the world in his solo category.

His first taste of professional dancing came in 2015 with a tour of A Taste of Ireland where he performed as a dancer and vocalist. He has since been a part of several tours with the company, serving as the show’s dance captain from 2017-18. He worked as a producer on the show when it toured Australia and New Zealand in 2019 and has since produced other shows for and alongside Pace Entertainment Group, including ‘A Celtic Christmas’, ‘Silver Bells - A Bublé Christmas’ and Pace Live Dance Company’s production of ‘Michael - The Show’. ​ ​

GIRLS

MELANIE VALDES, NEW YORK, USA – Female Ensemble ​

6 x World Champion 4 x All Ireland Champion 8 x North American National Champion 10 x Mid Atlantic Regional Champion Cast Member - A Taste of Ireland (New Zealand, 2019)

Melanie Valdes started dancing at the Doherty Petri school in New York when she was seven. Starting her dance career in ballet and progressing to Irish dance, Melanie rose to the top of her craft under the tutelage of Karen and Lisa Petri, two of New York’s most renowned Irish dance teachers. Her competitive career has crowned her with some of Irish dance’s most distinguished titles including six World Championship titles, four All Ireland Championship titles and eight North American National Championship titles.

Performance has always been in Melanie’s blood and her career highlights include performing on Good Morning America and at the world famous Madison Square Garden in New York City.

ANNABELLE ROUSE, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND – Female Ensemble ​

5 x New Zealand National Champion 8 x New Zealand National Ceili Champion World Qualifier 2019 4th Place Australian International Oireachtas 2015 Cast Member - A Taste of Ireland (Australia, 2019) Cast Member - A Taste of Ireland (New Zealand, 2019)

Annabelle Rouse began dancing at the age of five at the O'Neill School of Irish Dance in Christchurch, New Zealand under the guidance of Cathy and Sean O'Neill. She hails from a large family of Irish dancers that includes her mother, sisters, aunty, cousin, great aunty and beloved granny. ​

Over her competitive career, Annabelle has won several national titles, and has placed in the top five in several Australian competitions including the ​ Australian International Oireachtas. The highlight of her career was competing in Dublin and Montreal at the World Irish Dancing Championships, and winning the 2018 TIDA Travel Scholarship, which she plans to redeem competing on the international stage during the later part of 2019. Annabelle’s first taste of professional show dancing came in 2019, when she toured as a cast member of A Taste of Ireland across Australia and New Zealand.

SHERIDAN O’LEARY, PERTH, AUSTRALIA – Female Ensemble ​

World Qualifier 2019 Top 3 Placing Australian National Championship Top 5 Placing Western Australian Regional Championship Cast Member - A Taste of Ireland (Australia, 2019) Cast Member - A Taste of Ireland (New Zealand, 2019)

Sheridan O’Leary began dancing at the age of seven at the O’Hare School of Irish Dance in Perth, Western Australia. It was here that she honed her craft and developed a love for the art form, which lead her to experience great success on the competitive circuit. Her competitive highlights include top three placings at the Western Australian Regional Championships and top ten placings at the Australian National Championships.

Sheridan joined the A Taste of Ireland cast in early 2019 and was noted as a natural performer, earning a touring position with the company which saw her perform to sold-out crowds across Australia and New Zealand.

TAYLAH ATTWELL-GILL, ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – Female Ensemble (Understudy) ​

Australian National Champion 2017 6 x South Australian Regional Champion 23rd Place North American National Championship 2017 3 x Australian National Ceili Champion Cast Member - A Taste of Ireland (2017-present) Understudy - A Taste of Ireland (Australia, 2019) Understudy - A Taste of Ireland (New Zealand, 2019)

Taylah Attwell-Gill began dancing at the age of six at the Miller School of Irish Dancing, South Australia, under the guidance of Jackie Miller. It was here that Taylah developed her passion for ​ Irish dancing, a pursuit that has served her greatly.

In recent years, Taylah has won six South Australian Regional titles and placed in the top three at the Australian National Championships for the past three years. One of her most memorable ​ achievements was being crowned Australian National Champion at the age of 17. She has competed at both the North American National Championships and World Championships on a number of occasions, bringing home two medals from the North American Nationals in consecutive years.

Taylah began her professional dancing career in 2017 with A Taste of Ireland’s renowned Christmas Tour. Her love of performing on stage has continued to grow having completed seven professional tours since then. In 2019, Taylah performed the understudy role across Australia and New Zealand.

ALLIYAH O’HARE, BIRMINGHAM, UK – Female Ensemble ​

6 x World Champion (consecutive) 6 x All Ireland Champion (consecutive) 8 x North American National Champion 6 x All Scotland Champion 6 x Great Britain Champion 10 x Midlands Regional Champion Cast Member - A Taste of Ireland (Australia, 2019)

Alliyah began dancing at the age of four at the Scanlon School in the Midlands, United Kingdom, and is currently one of the most decorated and highly awarded Irish dancers in the world. Having won the World Championships an unprecedented six times in a row, she is no stranger to the Irish dancing stage. Alliyah has a multitude of titles under her belt including the All Ireland, All Scotland, North American and Great Britain titles and currently stands unbeaten over the last five years. Alliyah has participated in numerous performances with the Scanlon School including her appearances in the World’s Biggest Pantomime and in the half-time performance in the show, Gaelforce. She first toured with A Taste of Ireland in 2019.

GUYS ​

CALLUM McGREGOR, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Male Ensemble ​

9th Place World Championship 2015 10th Place World Championship 2017 4 x Australian National Champion 10 x Victorian Regional Champion 10 x Australian National Ceili Champion Company Dancer - A Taste of Ireland 2017-present Cast Member - A Taste of Ireland (Australia, 2019) Cast Member - A Taste of Ireland (New Zealand, 2019)

Callum McGregor has been dancing since the age of four at the Cosgriff School in Melbourne, Victoria. Born into an Irish dancing family, Callum has a deep-seated love for the sport. He has won ten Victorian Regional titles, four Australian National titles and multiple Ceili titles. Callum has competed at the World Championships five times, coming as high as 9th in his age group.

Dancing has brought many opportunities for Callum, including the opportunity to train and live in Ireland leading up to the World Championships. ​ Since making his professional debut with A Taste of Ireland in late 2017, Callum has become a seasoned performer and tours with the show regularly.

HARRY BARTLETT, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – Male Ensemble ​

6th Place World Championship 2018 World Medal Holder 2018 Runner-up World Champion Ceili 2018 4th Place North American National Championship 2016 Australian International Oireachtas Champion 2014 10 x New Zealand National Champion Cast Member - Murphy’s Celtic Legacy 2018/19 Understudy - A Taste of Ireland ( Australia, 2019) Understudy - A Taste of Ireland (New Zealand, 2019)

Harry Bartlet began dancing at the age of four. Having spent years training and competing on the New Zealand circuit, Harry set his sights for bigger and better things, leaving home at age 16 to train in Boston, USA. At 18, Harry moved to Birmingham, UK, where he trained at the prestigious Carey Academy. Abroad, Harry saw some fabulous competitive success and honed his skills as an Irish dancer.

His achievements to date include placing 6th at the World Championships for solo Irish dancing and 2nd in Ceili dancing. He is a ten time New Zealand National Champion, Midland UK Regional Champion and the winner of the Australian International Oireachtas in 2014. He has also placed 4th at the North American National Championships in 2016 and 2018.Professionally, Harry has performed throughout Europe and North America with Murphy’s Celtic Legacy and across Australia and New Zealand with A Taste of Ireland.

JONTY MOORE, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Male Ensemble (Dance Captain) ​

World Champion 2018 All Ireland Champion 2018 6 x World Medal Holder Runner-Up North American National Championship 2015 12 x Australian National Champion 13 x NSW Regional Champion 3 x Australian International Oireachtas Champion 3 x Australian National Ceili Champion Company Dancer - A Taste of Ireland 2015-present Dance Captain - A Taste of Ireland (Australia, 2019) Dance Captain - A Taste of Ireland (New Zealand, 2019)

Jonty Moore began dancing at the age of five, under the tuition of Geraldine French at Scoil Rince Aisling, and Fiona-Gaye Moore at the Fiona Gaye Moore Academy. During his competitive ​ ​ ​ ​ career, Jonty won 13 NSW State Championship titles, 12 Australian National Titles, attained 6 World Medals and placed in the top five internationally. Jonty's career highlight was winning the All-Ireland Championships and being the 8th Australian to win the World Championships in 2018. In 2015, at the age of 16, Jonty began his professional career with A Taste of Ireland and has ​ ​ since toured extensively with the show.

MITCHELL O’HARA, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND – Male Ensemble (Understudy) ​

9th Place World Championship 2017 World Medal Holder 2017 7 x New Zealand National Champion 3 x New Zealand National Ceili Champion 3 x Australian International Oireachtas Champion Understudy - A Taste of Ireland (Australia, 2019) Understudy - A Taste of Ireland (New Zealand, 2019)

Mitchell O’Hara has been an Irish dancer for 13 years. Throughout this time, he has experienced success both at home and abroad. He has won seven New Zealand National titles and three Australian International Oireachtas titles. Abroad, Mitch has competed at several international competitions and placed 9th at the World Championships in 2017. This achievement saw Mitchell awarded with the prestigious world medal.

Mitchell made his professional debut with A Taste of Ireland in 2019, and performed the role of understudy across Australia and New Zealand.

THOMAS HUGHES, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Male Ensemble ​

Dance Drama World Champion 2017 9th Place World Championship 2018 5th Place Great Britain Championship 2016 Australian National Champion 2014 3 x NSW Regional Champion 5 x Australian National Team Champion Company Dancer - A Taste of Ireland 2015-present Cast Member - A Taste of Ireland (Australia, 2019) Cast Member - A Taste of Ireland (New Zealand, 2019)

Thomas Hughes from began his competitive Irish dancing career at the age of 10 under the guidance of Jan Currie-Henderson. His accolades include three NSW Regional titles, an Australian National title and several regional and national ceili titles. From 2016-2018, Thomas moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland to further his Irish dance career. He competed at every major championship around the world under the guidance of the Carson-Kennedy academy in Belfast. Thomas placed 5th at the Great Britain Championships, 9th at the World Championships and was part of the World Champion dance drama team in 2017. He began his professional Irish dance career with A Taste of Ireland in 2015 and has toured with the company throughout Australia and New Zealand.

MUSICIANS

SAVANNAH DONOHOE, CAVAN, IRELAND - Flute/Tin Whistle ​

Danny Kyle Award Winner 2018 Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Contribution Award Semi-Finalist - BBC Young Trad Player of the Year Award 2019

Savannah Donohoe is an, award-winning flute player from Cavan, Ireland. She is a recent graduate of Modern Languages and has toured extensively in Germany, China, Switzerland, and France.

She has performed with dance shows such as ‘Rhythm of the Dance’ and ‘Spirit of Ireland.’ Savannah was a recipient of the prestigious Danny Kyle award in Glasgow in 2018 and since then has performed gigs with her own band in Glasgow and around Ireland. She has taught music with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann for 15 years and last year received an award for her contribution to Comhaltas in Ireland. Savannah is one the semi-finalists for the 2019 BBC Young Trad Player of the Year award.

CHARLIE GALLOWAY, MANCHESTER, UK - Bodhran/Guitar ​

Danny Kyle Award Winner 2018 National Radio Appearance BBC 2016 Cambridge Folk Festival 2017 Performer - Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2016/17 ​ Scholarship Recipient Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Charlie Galloway is a multi-instrumentalist from Lancashire, England. He has been playing Irish music since a young age. For the last four years, Charlie has studied in Glasgow at the prestigious Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. During his time at the Conservatoire, he has toured extensively around Europe with a number of Irish dance shows and productions. Charlie has worked closely with five-time World Champion Irish dancer David Geaney on a number of collaborations, including his show Velocity with Guinness world-record-holding Irish dancer, James Devine. He first toured with A Taste of Ireland in 2019, performing across Australia and New Zealand.